Nano in packaging
Safety issues
The main concern about the safety of nano in packaging is whether the nanoparticles will get out of the packaging and into the food and move from the food into our bodies.
The way these products are put together, the nanoparticles are designed not to become detached from the packaging itself, and the few studies that have been done say they won’t. However, the evidence is very limited and many experts agree that more testing needs to be done.
Nano silver
In the body...
While silver has a long history of safe use, there are concerns about the antibacterial effects if the particles enter the body in any quantity. In this instance it may kill not just the harmful bacteria in our bodies but also upset the balance of the beneficial organisms which help us with our digestion and to fight disease.
...and the waste streams
In addition, there are concerns that nano silver will detach from the packaging during washing and enter the sewage system where it may accumulate and disrupt the treatment of sewage or affect other water sources.
This happened in the past when silver was flushed into the sewage as a by product of photography, though it is also argued that the amounts of silver being used in these new types of application are very small, and will be particularly dilute if it reaches the sewage system.
Fighting bacteria
Whilst this is not just a problem for nano silver - many other anti-bacterial products may have the same effect - scientists are concerned that increasingly widespread use of nano silver as an anti-bacterial agent. They are concerned that silver it will lose its effectiveness in fighting bacteria as bacteria can become resistant through increased exposure. This has also not been proven, but is an area that many people feel needs much more research.
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